Chapter One

Renee Bonnett was scared, really scared. Her heart raced as another cloud of fine dust clouded her safety glasses, but she did not dare move her sweaty hands from the wall to wipe them clean.
Take slow deep breaths and relax, she advised herself. Yes, that was easy to say in the security of the small reception room of the national park service building. Why did she insist on avoiding the commercialized cave of Wyoming Bighorn Caverns for the unexplored Misty Depths Catacombs nearer the Montana border? Was she trying to prove something to herself again or had the name attracted her?
She swallowed, shook a strand of auburn hair aside, and turned her head. The light from the helmet's flashlight moved with her to cast an eerie beam along the wall. Half a dozen paces ahead, Sam, their Native American guide, turned and grinned. .
"How's it going?" he asked.
"Fine," she lied and attempted deep breathing.
"The roof gets lower, but this is as narrow as it goes," Sam continued.
That was all she needed.
The cave was barely six feet wide at this point, but one redeeming factor was the ceiling that towered into darkness above them and gave some feeling of space to relieve the claustrophobia. After an hour of narrow, twisting passages, Renee was ready to return to the main cavern, but the other three plodded relentlessly on.
"It gets to you a bit." A second male voice sounded from behind.
Renee turned, her flashlight picked up the speaker, and she smiled. This quiet guy, Lem she remembered his name was, had spoken little during their expedition, but when he did, his voice reassured. It was as if he knew she was anxious. He was third in line with a teenage girl whose name she'd forgotten, coming up in the rear.
"Yes," she replied. "I love the huge caverns with the stalactites and stalagmites, but these narrow passages…" Her voice trailed off.
"You're lucky," Lem said. "I'm so wide I reckon I'll be wedged like a cork in a bottle if it gets any narrower, while you'll stroll along as if it was High Street."
"Doubt it," she replied and had to chuckle. His bulky jacket, one with zip pockets everywhere, did make him look rotund.
His chatter helped her gain confidence as she concentrated on the next section. The cave twisted so much her companions were often out of sight with only their flashlight beams dancing along the walls beside her. Their heavy breathing and the crunch of footfalls provided the security she needed as she bowed her head to avoid hitting the limestone above.
"A short section on all fours is coming up." Sam's voice floated back, and Renee had to smile at Lem's audible sigh.
All fours.
Hell, it was slithering forward on one's stomach and worse, far worse, than anything yet encountered. She used elbows and knees to propel her body forward and shut her eyes and tried to imagine she was under the blue sky.
"This is the bit where it's so much easier for you," Lem's reassuring voice panted from behind. "I reckon I'd better take my jacket off."
His flashlight dropped back. Renee swallowed and wriggled on until the walls parted, the ceiling disappeared into darkness, and they could stand again. She accepted a fruit bar distributed by Sam and wiped her safety glasses.
"How are you, now?" Lem asked
"Not too bad, thanks," she replied with forced lightness. "That last bit was claustrophobic, though."
"I'm hot," Sam confessed and removed the backpack he was carrying. "The main cavern makes it all worthwhile. We can take a different route back. It's longer, but isn't such a squeeze."
"Now he tells us," Lem said with a chuckle.

***

The cavern may have been worth seeing, but Renee never reached it.
She was in the next narrow section when a distant rumble became a roar. The walls gyrated. Before her mind could comprehend what was happening the ceiling split open and a deluge of gray earth dropped in front of her eyes.
It was sheer terror. Flashlight beams twisted around and disappeared. In complete darkness, Renee felt gritty sludge grip her body. It was as if some giant was rubbing sandpaper down her body. The air filled with choking dust, stung her eyes, and she couldn't breathe.
Seconds later, another sensation pierced her petrified mind.
She was falling.
A hollow rasping scream that ricocheted from a dozen places was her own. She realized this was not a narrow passage but a massive open space.
There was no time for contemplation. The darkness spun, her head hit something hard, and her helmet banged pinched ears. The sensation of vertigo filled her mind, her stomach lurched, and dizziness disoriented everything. God, her limbs stung from gravel burns. A loud crack filled the air and excruciating pain shot through her body. Something was wrong.
After an eternity it seemed, she landed on something soft, heard a gasp, and realized there was a person beneath her.
More sensations.
The falling motion stopped, but she still slid on a pile of debris. Her flashlight and helmet had gone. Choking chalk dust filled her mouth. A guttural cough cleared this, but the particles continued to tickle her throat. Lem's silhouette slipped by in a pile of rubble with his flashlight lighting up a million dust particles. Beyond him, another flashlight jerked haphazardly.
At least she wasn't alone. Her leg hit something and she shrieked in anguish. But it was too painful; her mind could not cope and she slumped unconscious onto a cavern floor.
***

"Hi Renee," said the soft voice. "Can you hear me?"
Renee felt an arm around her shoulders and a cold moist object pressed to her lips. God, her mouth was like chalk. She sipped. Water shot into her mouth to send her into a spasm of coughing as she opened her eyes.
"Take it slowly, now," Lem said and held the plastic mug to her mouth again.
"What happened?" Renee gasped and attempted to sit up. A spasm of pain shot up her right side.
"Your leg is broken, I'm afraid," Lem said. "Otherwise, I think you're fine. It's good to have someone to talk to."
Renee pushed her hands back, and with Lem's help, managed to slide into a sitting position. She glanced around and saw millions of tiny blue pinpoints of light far above. Could they be outside in the darkness? It was warm and still with Lem's helmet flashlight the only source of illumination.
"Where are we?" She gasped.
"A cavern. Those are glowworms above us."
"But how?"
"I'm not sure. When we were walking along the passage I heard a rumble and glanced up to see the ceiling coming down. I fell and just kept going. The floor wasn't there any longer."
"That's right. I remember seeing the ceiling collapse."
"Yeah." The man grinned and held out the mug of water. "We dropped twenty feet and slid a couple hundred more. Your leg slid between some rocks, I'd say. I heard a crack before you began sliding in a pile of debris. When we reached the bottom I saw it was broken. Both of you were out cold."
"Both of us? Who else is here?"
"Courtney, the youngster who was behind me. She was knocked out in the fall."
Renee muttered, "What about the guide?"
"Sam is nowhere around, so chances are he wasn't caught in the landslide. Our backpacks came with us and I found a coil of rope. Sam probably tossed it down for us to use and has gone back to get help. It'll be three hours at least before anybody can get back to us. We're a fair way down." Lem shrugged. "My biggest casuality is my jacket. I can't find it anywhere. Remember, I'd just taken it off. It's a pity. I had bits and pieces in my pockets."
Renee studied her companion for the first time when he stood and walked a few paces to examine the girl. Lem would be a few years older than her. He was clean-shaven with a five o'clock shadow across his tanned face. His dark hair receded, but like his weight, did not detract from his muscular appearance.
Lem glanced up. "It's the bump I'm worried about," he said in a soft voice as he unfastened the girl's helmet and placed it on the ground. "She got a real wallop on the head. The helmet absorbed most of the blow, but a bruise is appearing."
He held the long blonde hair up to show an egg-shaped bruise behind the left ear.
"Are you a doctor?" Renee asked.
"No such luck," Lem replied and chuckled. "I've done a couple first aid courses. That's about the limit of my medical knowledge."
He placed his backpack under Courtney's head, rubbed her hands, and gave her a gentle shake. Apart from a slight moan, there was no reaction, so he covered her with a jacket and turned back to Renee.
"At least it's warm in here," she said.
"These deep caves usually are," Lem commented. "It could be a hundred degrees outside or freezing below, but in here it stays about seventy all year round."
Their eyes linked and they both smiled.
Renee coughed, grimaced in pain, and looked past her companions. Three stalagmites stood like Roman columns a few feet away. Beyond was darkness with no sign whatsoever of the hole they'd fallen through. In the opposite direction, the glowworms seemed a hundred miles away. She pushed her good leg through loose white dust and wriggled her bottom into a more comfortable position.
"Well, I'd rather be here than in that narrow tunnel," Lem said. He frowned at Renee's dysfunctional leg. "I'll get us something to eat. I'm sure it's about time we got stuck into those prepackaged lunches we were given."
"No thanks," Renee answered. "I doubt if my stomach could handle anything at the moment, but I wouldn't mind more to drink."
"Sure," Lem replied. "Hot or cold? There's a thermos bottle of coffee."
"Coffee please, but what about yourself? Did you get hurt during your fall?"
"Abrasions and bruises. Nothing worse. I guess I was lucky." He stood up. "I'll get the coffee."
***

Two hours turned into three and then into four, but Lem's constant prattle kept Renee optimistic. Their younger companion woke to a semidelirious state and was violently ill. Though open, the girl's eyes rolled into her head and she did not respond to Renee's or Lem's voices. After jerking in a spasm she lapsed back into unconsciousness.
"Concussion," Lem muttered as he felt the girl's pulse. "I think she's over the worst, though."
Renee nodded. "Poor kid.I hope Sam arrives back soon."
Though she didn't want to burden Lem by complaining she didn't feel good. Her body ached and her head thumped in a terrible headache.
Lem glanced at her and frowned. "I'll get you more painkillers," he whispered.
"More?"
Lem reddened in the glare of the flashlight. "I added a dose to that water I gave you," he admitted. "Some object to pills, but you weren't in a better state than Courtney is now so I..." He gave a shrug.
"I don't have any hang-ups," Renee said. "Well, no health ones. If it helps to relieve the pain, I'm all for it."
She appreciated this considerate man and was curious about him. In the hours they were together he'd said nothing about his personal life. They'd talked about caves, tourism, a bit on current events, but nothing personal.
"Do you mind if I turn the light out?" Lem's voice interrupted her thoughts. "It might pay to conserve power."
"Sure, go ahead."
Nothing else was said, but Lem's voice gave her the impression he was concerned about the time that had gone by. Blackness soon became gray with the closer cave walls visible. Overhead, the number of tiny pins of blue glowworm light multiplied by the minute like a gigantic cathedral beneath the heavens. Accompanying the view was complete silence, seldom noticed on the surface with the usual wind, insects, birds and noises of human habitation.
"It's beautiful," she murmured. "I never realized there were so many glowworms."
"It is," came the reply. "They respond to noise, you know. Make a loud sound and they switch off. They're one of the few sources of cold light in our world."

***

When Renee forced her eyes open her headache had gone and her damaged leg felt numb rather than painful. The sound of sighing reached her ears. She listened and heard gentle snores and silence before the noise began again. Lem was a lump in the darkness a few feet away, while elsewhere only the familiar glowworms and the faint outline of the cave wall could be seen.
"Oh, shoot," muttered a female voice.
Renee forced herself into a sitting position and strained her eyes. "Courtney?"
The teenager leapt around in fright and two blue eyes focused on her. She was of average build with a loose-fitting sweater and jeans that would have hidden her femininity if it weren't for the shoulder- length blonde hair. Light make-up and wellmanicured fingernails gave the impression of a young person who cared for her appearance.
"I need to get to the toilet, but with Lem here?"
"There's a trowel with our gear. Go and dig a hole. A toilet roll is in my backpack."
"Thanks," the teenager replied with a tone that sounded anything but thankful. She stood, found the necessary commodities, and disappeared into the darkness.
Renee grinned, but her expression changed to a frown after she glanced at her watch. It was almost midnight. The accident had happened nine hours before. Why hadn't a rescue team arrived? She forced herself into a standing position to relieve cramps and was about to look for something to munch when the girl returned with a sheepish expression.
"I'm sorry I growled, Renee," she said. "You were asleep earlier when Lem explained what had happen. God, I was sick as a dog, but he just chatted away." She looked at Renee's misshapen leg. "Look, relax. I'll help. What do you want?"
"No, it's okay," Renee replied. "I need to restore my circulation, that's all."
Courtney opened the backpacks and found two apples, a fruit bar and a couple boxes of raisins. She smiled, handed half the food to Renee, sat down and bit into the apple. "Damn mess we're in, isn't it?"
"The rescuers will be here soon."
"You hope. I reckon if they were going to come they'd be here now."
"They'll come. Even if Sam didn't get to the surface, our names are registered at the park headquarters."
"Pity," the girl whispered.
Renee stared at the newcomer with concern. "What do you mean?"
"Oh nothing. It came out wrong. For Lem and your sakes, I hope they find us." She turned to glance at the sleeping man. "For someone his age, he's a great guy, isn't he?"
Courtney's cynical remarks did not go unnoticed, but Renee decided not to press for an explanation. "Yes, Lem couldn't have been more helpful," she replied. "I like himtoo, but tell me, how are you?"
"Better now, thanks. That's if I don't count the woozy stomach, sore throat and thumping head." The teenager studied Renee. "Are you a teacher? You sound like one."
"No." Renee said with a laugh. "A lawyer, actually."
"Young for that caper, aren't you? The only young lawyers I know are on TV programs. In real life they're all old farts."
"Well, I just graduated two years ago, and I'm a junior assistant with a law firm in a town north of Seattle."
"Never been out there," Courtney continued. "This is as far west as I've ever been."
"So where's your hometown?"
"Nowhere," the girl retorted. "I was in Florida before I decided to try it here. I was told smaller places are better for jobs."
"I see," Renee replied. "And have you got one?"
"Yeah, at a local motel." She shrugged. "The pay's lousy, but at least I'm treated like a person here and get a cabin to live in. When I'm not working I like to get out into the wilderness." She gave a slight grin. "This is my first time in a cave."
Renee frowned. Courtney was an enigma,no more than eighteen, and in spite of her efforts to cover it, had an educated quality to her voice. Why wasn't she graduating from high school and moving on to college instead of doing low paid manual labor?
"You disapprove?" Courtney said with a glare.
"No. Curious, that's all. I'm sorry to sound presumptuous, but I wonder why you seem alone doing a manual job. All your mannerisms point to a well-educated young lady."
"That obvious, is it?"
Renee nodded
"And what do you damn know about life?" The girl's voice rose an octave.
Renee sighed. "As I said, I'm sorry Courtney. What you're doing is none of my business."
"Yeah," Courtney turned away. "That's the trouble in this country."
"What's that?"
"Nobody cares about anything. If I'd been killed today, I'd rank half an inch on page thirty-two of the local paper. However, if I shot a couple tourists in the process, I'd be a headline across the world. Only the nuts are noticed today."
"Possibly, but does it matter what others think? It's what you are that's important."
"To whom?"
"Yourself, your friends, and family."
"They don't care," the girl whispered.
"So you had trouble at home?" Renee replied tenderly.
"Yeah, you could say that." She turned and walked off into the gloom.
Renee stared into the darkness and cursed the broken leg.
'Don't worry." Lem's voice interrupted her thoughts. "She sounds like a typical strung out teenager."
Renee swung around. "Hi Lem. I thought you were asleep. Did you hear our conversation?"
"Bits. I'll go after her. Be back in a moment."

***

Lem stood, brushed himself off and followed the teenager. His flashlight caught a glimpse of her disappearing silhouette, and he had to increase his pace to catch up.
"Hold it, Courtney," he said softly. "You can easily get lost in here. Everything looks the same." He laid a hand on her shoulder.
The girl's reaction was unexpected. "Don't you touch me," she screamed and slung her shoulder sideways away from his hand. "Don't you ever touch me." She stopped and turned to show a tear-strained face with wide apprehensive eyes. Tight lips and a quivering chin portrayed fear rather than anger.
"I'm sorry," Lem muttered. "I had no intention..."
"No, of course not." The girl's voice reeked sarcasm. "Damn males are all the same."
Lem flushed. "That was not my intention. Renee was concerned and I offered to come after you, that's all." He hesitated. "It seems you've had a bad time with men, but I assure you we aren't all like that."
Courtney's eyes held his for a second before glancing away. "I'm sorry," she muttered. "You were so kind earlier. It's nothing to do with you. It's just..." She stopped again and gave a glimpse of a smile. "Oh hell, I've just had a hard time, that's all."
"Well, come back. We need to stick together. Stalking off and getting lost won't help."
"I know," Courtney said. "Come on. It's poor Renee with her broken leg that needs our company. At least we can walk out, if necessary."
She headed back to where Renee's flashlight could be seen in the distance. Lem watched for a moment, shrugged and followed.